Raw materials
brown sugar (kokutō)
rice (koji)
Producer
Amami Kokuto
Explore the spirits, production style and story of Amami Kokuto.
Amami Kokuto is a trade/category name referring to shōchū kokutō (made from brown sugar and rice koji) produced in the Amami Islands (Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan). On the international market it is sold by various retailers with labels that reference Amami origin.
kokutō shōchū (brown sugar)
honkaku shōchū
Amami Islands shōchū
Japanese spirits
Producer range
Producer range Amami Kokuto
Spirit categories
kokutō shōchū (brown sugar)
honkaku shōchū
Amami Islands shōchū
Japanese spirits
Representative products
Shochu Amami Oshima Jougo 70cl - Astuccio
Amami Kokuto (kokuto shochu) 750ml
Casks and ageing vessels
stainless steel tanks
barrels (unspecified)
amphorae / terracotta vessels
Distillation and production
Distillation and production
Production method
Production is based on parallel multiple fermentation (rice koji + dissolved brown sugar), followed by pot still distillation. Local producers use both atmospheric distillation and vacuum distillation depending on the desired aromatic profile; typically distillation is carried out only once.
Distillation
Pot still distillation: typically a single distillation; practices include both atmospheric (jo-atsu) and vacuum distillation depending on the producer.
Ageing
After distillation the spirits may be stored and aged in stainless steel tanks, barrels or terracotta vessels; practices vary among local producers.
Producer history Amami Kokuto
The term denotes shōchū produced in the Amami Islands, a local tradition with historical roots dating at least to the 16th century. After the reversion of the Amami Islands to Japan in the 20th century, kokutō shōchū production received a specific regulatory exemption allowing the use of brown sugar provided rice koji is used for saccharification. Today only a limited number of producers in the Amami Islands are authorized to make this type of shōchū.
Production philosophy
An expression of the Amami islands' territory: the use of local brown sugar combined with rice koji and traditional fermentation and distillation techniques aims to highlight the subtropical character and the terroir of the various islands.
Territory
Amami Islands (between Kagoshima and Okinawa), Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Involved islands include: Amami Ōshima, Tokunoshima, Kikai, Yoron, Okinoerabu, etc.
Amami Kokuto
This producer is a useful reference point for enthusiasts looking for authentic spirits, distinctive production identity and a carefully selected online catalogue.
On this page you can discover the producer, understand its main categories and browse the products currently available for purchase.
Products from
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